This week's Sign Club focused on numbers and math. Let's start with some pointers for signing numbers, as taken from the appendix of "ABC 1-2-3: Fingerspelling and Numbers in ASL" student handbook. This is a very helpful reource....
Identity: For 1-9, the hand is held sideways and shaken slightly when signing the name for the number itself. For 10 or more, sign as usual.
Cardinal: When couting 1-5, palm orientation is towards the signer. For 6 or more, sign as usual.
Emphasis: When emphasizing an amount 1-5, the palm orientation is towards the signer and the number is thrown up sharply.
Ordinal: For 1-9, use a single twist when indicating order or placement. For 10 or more, sign as usual.
Addresses: When expressing street numbers, the cardinal rule for numbers does not apply - all numbers face forward. Use either a compound number (18-23 Maple St.) or individual numbers (1-8-2-3 Maple St.), but never a combination of both. Do not sign as one whole number (1,823 Maple St.). Zip codes are typically signed by Deaf people as 9-21-2, but should be voiced as 9-2-1-2-0.
Phone Numbers: the same rule applies as with addresses. Be consistent in grouping numbers such as 5-5-5/2-2-5-1. All numbers have palm orientation outward.
Fractions: For 1-9, palm orientation is towards the signer, sign the numerator, then the denominator slightly lower. when experssing mixed numbers, sign the whole number (using the cardinal rule of 1-5 palm orientation toward signer), then the fraction slightly to the side.
Decimals: Palm orientation is out. sign the whole number, the sign PERIOD, then the remainder. Or sign the whole number, point down, then the remainder.
Dates: When signing days, follow ordinal number rule, twisting numbers 1-9. Sign the year as two seperate numbers (2-12). For years with zeros, sign the zeros (20-05).
Money: When signing 1cent-9cents, follow the cardinal rule for numbers (1-5, palm in). When signing $1-$9, the number swoops and no dollar sign is expressed. for $10 or more, sign the dollar number, then the sign for DOLLAR. For $1.01 - $9.99, the number swoops to cents (do not express $ or cent). For $10.01 and up, sign both DOLLAR and CENTS.
Ranking: For listing events or order of a list, such as siblings in a family, use nondominant hand with palm facing signer to hold the number (ie- 2,3,4,5) depending on the list. For listing sibling and family members, stay within the same generation. do not mix generations such as parents and siblings, on the sam elist. When listing the siblilngs, give the same information about each.
Time: For 1-9, touch the watch position and move upwards. If the time is exactly on the hour, the number will shake back and forth slightly. If the time is a combination of hour and minutes, then no shake, but use a slight pause between hour and minutes.
Minutes: For 1-9, incorporate the number into the sign for minutes. For 10 or more, sign the number then the base sign for MINUTES.
Hours: For 1-9, incorporate the number into the sign for hour. for 10 or more, sign the number and then the base sign for HOUR.
Days: For 1-9, incorporate into the sign for day. For 10 or more, sign the number and then the sign for DAY. For future of past days, 1-3 days are incorporated into the sign. The sign YESTERDAY means one day ago, add the index finger nd it means two days ago, add the middle finger for three days ago, etc. The same for future days (tomorrow, in two days, three days, etc.) This is used for a general sense of a "a few days ago" or "in several days".
Weeks: For 1-9, incorporate into the sign for week. For 10 ore more, sign the number and then the sign for WEEK. For future or past weeks, the same rule applies. Incorporate 1-9 into the sign for week and move the number either back or forward; for 10 or more, the number is signed, the sign for WEEK, then the sign for past or future.
Month: For 1-9, incorporate into the sign for month. For 10 or more, sign the number and then the base sign for MONTH. for 1-5 months, the cardinal rule applies with the palm facing the signer; for 6-9, the palm faces slightly down and out. for future or past months, sign the month, as above, then the sign for future or past.
Years: For 1-5, use the cardinal rule. for 6 or more, sign with palm orientation out. For future or past years, the numbers 1-5 are incorporated into the sign. For future years, the hand starts in a fist and throws the numbers out. for past-years, the hand starts in a fist and throws the number back. Past years can also wiggle.
Placement in a Competition: (ie- First place, etc.) For 1st-9th, start with palm orientation outward and sideways on the opposite side of the signers body, then drag and twist across to the other side of the body. For 10th and later, sign the number, then the sign for PLACE.
Scoring: Sign winning team's score first. Sign the score of your team or the local team near the body and the other team's score away. For two teams from other areas, set them up away from the body. Use the cardinal rule (1-5); for numbers 6 or more, have the palm facing out.
Height: all numbers have palm orientation towards the signer. Height of persons - start with number of FEET at the sternum area and arc upward for INCHES. for emphasis, move the number of inches upward sharply. Heigh of objects - use the cardinal rule, with the fingerspelled words FEET and INCHES.
Age: The cardinal rule does not apply - all numbers face forward. Either use the sign AGE, or sign the number from the chin indicating age.
Approximations: Hold the number at a 45 degree angle and shake slightly up and down. This is used for 30, 40, 50, etc.
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Now lets view some great vocabulary building videos for Math!
This first one is a general video for learning some basic math terms.
These next few videos are more specific, signed by Chris Kurz, a college Math professor. This one goes through signs for all the various math numbering systems.
This next one focuses solely on Trigonometry.
(I couldn't embed this video, but here's the direct link to it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmqeZLHpdTc&feature=related
And here's one for Algebra.
Remember that learning vocabulary is never enough.... for Teachers, Interpreters, and Aides that are responsible for helping their students acquire math concepts, consider picking up the videocassette "Techincal Sign Interviews: Math" from our NCR library. This series introduces ways to visually explain difficult conepts in ASL. The entire series is available, and includes VHS cassettes on topics such as Science, Computers, Graphic Arts, etc. etc. etc. Check 'em out!
